pomeroy



UNITED STATES PATENT FFTCE.

J. I-I. POMEROY, OF BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS.

LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 13,884., dated December 4, 1855.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J. H. POMEROY, of Bloomington, in the county ofMcLean and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Locks, Latches, etc.; and I do hereby declare that thesame are described and represented in the following specication anddrawings.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my improvements Iwill proceed to describe their construction, use, and operation,referring to the drawings, in which the same letters indicate like partsin each of the figures.

Figure l, is a plan of a latch with my improvements omitting the plateC, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is an elevation of Fig. l, cut through the line Z, Z,with the addition of the plate C.

Thenature of my invention and improvements consists in constructing aspring bolt or catch to hold the fastening bolts of locks or latcheswithin the case or in the position in which they are placed to unfastent-he door while the door is open, the catch or bolt being so constructedas to be operated by t-lie door frame or keeper, when the door is closedto release the latch or bolt and allow it to be forced out to fasten.thedoor substantially as described.

In the accompanying drawings A, is the front plate of the lock or latchprovided with four holes for the screws to fasten it to a door. Therectangular frame B, surrounds the working parts of the lock and isfastened to the plate A, in the usual manner or otherwise. The backplate C, is

^ made large enough to cover the frame B,

and is held in its place by the screws D, D. The tube or tumbler E, isfitted to holes in the front and back plates in the usual manner and hasa square hole through it for the key or spindle which is to operate it.rlhe tube E has two arms which act on the projections F, F, of the boltG, which bolt may be made in the form represented in the drawing andfitted to traverse in a hole provided for it in the frame B, and is heldagainst the front plate by the projection H, which traverses in contactwith the back plate C, and by the stud I, fastened into the front plateand fitted to the slot J, in the bolt G. The spiral spring K, is placedin the slot J, between the stud I, and the projection L, on the bolt.Its use is to force out the bolt to fasten the door, when it is releasedby the bolt M, which is made in the form represented and fitted totraverse in holes in the front and back plates. The spiral spring N,surrounds the shank of'the bolt M, which traverses in the back plate C,its use is to force the body of the bolt M against the plate A when thebolt G isdrawn back in unfastening a door, and retain the bolt G in thelock by passing before the projection I), on the bolt G, the end of thebolt which passes through the frame B, being reduced in width so as toform the projection or shoulder I), as represented. Then the bolt M,holds the bolt Gr, back the end of the bolt M, projects through thefront plate A, of the lock, so that when the door is closed the end ofthe bolt M is forced in, by the keeper or frame of the door, so as torelease the bolt G, which is forced out by the spring K, so as to fastenthe door; but whenever the bolt Gr, is drawn back and the door openedsufficient to allow the bolt M, to project through the front plate, itis forced out so as to hold the bolt Gr in the case until the door isclosed again.

I contemplate applying a similar bolt or catch to locks and latches witha vibrating bar, so as to hold the bar in the position it is placed, tounfasten the door, while the door is open, and when the door is closedthe keeper or door frame will operate the catch .or bolt, so as torelease the bar to fasten the door.

The advantages of my improvements may be enumerated as follows, viz: Ittakes less power or force to close a door, so as to fasten it, than itdoes when the bolt has to be forced in by an inclined plane on the bolt,or keeper, or both, consequently a spring of less power will answer toclose the door. And as the door does not require to be slammed so hard,it does not wear out so soon; and the lock is subjected to less wear andtear than if the bolt was forced back by an inclined plane, so that thedoor and lock both wear longer. Besides if the bolt is retained in thecase while the door is open it will not catch and tear the clothes ofpersons passing by it.

I believe I have described the construction, operation and use of myimprovements, so as to enable any person skilled in the art to make anduse them. I will now specify what I desire to secure by Letters Patent,to Wit:

What Iv claim as an improvement on spring locks or latches, s-

The use of the spring bolt or Catch M, N, or its equivalent, soconstructed as to be operated by the door frame or keeper, to ref leasethe bolt and fasten the door in the manner substantially as set forth inthe foregoing speccation.

- J. H. POMEROY. Witnesses:

Z. LAWRENCE, CHAS. S. ELDER.

